Automotive manufacturers are investigating light emitting diodes (LEDs) for vehicle lamp systems in view of LED efficiency, durability, long life, in addition to compact packaging and design opportunities associated therewith. LEDs are solid-state semiconductor devices that convert electrical energy directly into a predetermined color of light.
LEDs typically are efficient for consuming less power than conventional light sources, such as filament bulbs and neon lamps. For instance, a typical LED can consume as little as one Watt while a filament bulb can consume 25 Watts and a neon bulb can consume 116 Watts.
Furthermore, LEDs typically offer significant resistance to shock and vibration and may thus provide more than 10,000 hours of life. It is understood that these benefits can decrease the cost of warranties.
Moreover, LEDs have a mercury-free construction, which provides an environmentally responsible solution to lighting applications. LEDs can also decrease the glare perceived by oncoming drivers while maintaining a substantially high lumen output. LEDs can also provide whiter light than HID/Xenon sources, namely a Color Rendering Index (CRI) of 80 rather than a CRI of 65 provided by the HID/Xenon sources. For at least these reasons, LEDs can provide more consistent lighting than the other sources.
Existing LED systems have a series of LEDs packaged within an array, which is sized and shaped for a predetermined vehicle lamp. In this regard, the customized construction of the LED array cannot be universally installed within various vehicles, which typically have lamp assemblies with distinct shapes and sizes. Therefore, each array may be produced on a relatively small-scale basis and at significant costs.
On the other hand, it is understood that conventional filament bulbs are self-contained unitary light sources that can be readily installed within various lamp assemblies. For this reason, filament bulbs have been produced on a substantially large-scale basis and thus at generally low costs.
A typical vehicle lamp assembly comprises a light source, a reflective backing surface, and a cover. The reflective backing surface typically redirects light away from the vehicle and through the cover in a predetermined direction and/or scatter pattern. To the extent that the cover is clear, the reflective surface is visible from the exterior of the vehicle. In this way, the reflective surface can somewhat limit the variation in lamp assembly designs.
It would therefore be desirable to provide an LED unit for a lamp assembly that enhances vehicle design and can also be universally installed within a variety of vehicle lamp assemblies.